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CAPITAL REGION, NY – After securing $ 51,653,331 for the Albany-Schenectady UZA in the US bailout to meet the region’s public transportation needs as New York recovers from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently announced a historic $ 61 million for the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) to expand its Albany Washington / Western Bus Rapid Transit project.
The funding comes from the US Department of Transportation’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which funds local efforts to expand rapid bus routes across the country.
The Washington / Western Bus Rapid Transit line will be the third rapid transit line operated by the CDTA. Schumer helped secure federal funding for the Central Avenue Corridor line that connects Albany to Schenectady and the River line that connects Albany to Troy and Cohoes in previous years.
“After a year and a half of hardship and isolation during the COVID pandemic, the $ 61 million announced today represents hope for a more connected and resilient future,†Schumer said.
“The CDTA maintains the unity of our community, the wheels of the regional economy and serves as a vital lifeline for many residents of the Capital Region. I am proud to make this historic investment in CDTA, which will maintain our transit and pave the way for expanded service, â€added Schumer.
CIG finances capital investments in public transport, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), in particular through the “Small Starts†program. The Albany Washington / Western Bus Rapid Transit project would implement rapid transit service in the Washington / Western Corridor that stretches from the downtown Albany bus terminal through State University from New York to Albany and the Harriman State Office Complex, to Crossgates Mall. The project includes limited stops, 16 single-brand buses, priority of public transport signals, queue bypass lanes, real-time bus arrival information, semi-bus lane exclusive one mile through college campus and bus maintenance garage expansion.
Schumer is also currently working to ensure the implementation of the bipartite infrastructure framework in law, which would provide approximately $ 113.9 million to the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) over the next 5 years. The CDTA estimates that their annual allocation over the past five years has been $ 21.2 million and, under the bipartisan infrastructure bill, that would increase to $ 27.1 million, an increase of $ 27.1 million. ‘about 30 %.
In addition, the bill includes over $ 5.6 billion for clean buses. CDTA currently has four electric buses in service, with four more on order, and an ultimate target of 25% of their fleet.
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